Automatic computing-machine.



No. 64|,5|7. Patented Jan. 16, I900. C. E. KEEL.

AUTOMATIC COMPUTING MACHINE.

(Application filed. Sept. 23, 1899.) v

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR. U/zarlesEKL WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

. PHOTOilYM) wnsmnamu. o. c.

No. 64l,5|7. Patented Jan. l6, I900. C. E. KEEL.

AUTOMATIC COMPUTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 23, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: JNVENTOR: e/W268i. Keel, I a I I "*q a Q ATTORNEK m: NonmsPETERS co, wnnvurnou wasHlNC-TQN. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. KEEL, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC COM PUTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,517, dated January16, 1900.

Application filed September 23, 1899. Serial No. 781,382. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. KEEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticComputing-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of ma chines or apparatus whichoperate automatically in computing and determining mathe matical resultsdeduced from numbers given, and has reference more particularly to amachine whereby the amount of taxes may be computed and indicated atcertain rates upon given amounts of valuation.

The invention consists in a manually-operated machine consisting of apair of main rotating disks, one of which contains numbers representingvaluations or base-figures and the other of which contains numbersrepresenting results or amounts of taxes or percentage, a pair ofrotating numbered disks to show the higher denominations or order offigures in connection with those on the main disks, intermediate gearingwhereby the disks are caused to rotate in the proper ratios of speed toeffect the desired results, and a frame whereby the several parts aresupported.

The invention consists,further, in the parts and combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The objects of this invention are to provide means whereby tax-rolls maybe made rapidly and accurately, eliminating the trouble caused by errorsin calculations, dispensing with considerable clerical expense, andobviating the necessity of employing experts in making written andmental calculations. These objects are fully attained in my invention,which may be cheaply produced and is durable and economical in use andwith slight modification in its adaptation may be employed for makingcomputations of various kinds.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan View of amachine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a frontelevation; Figs. 3 and 4, elevations of opposite ends; Fig. 5, afragmentary transverse view taken on a line X in Fig. 2; Fig. 6, afragmentary detail view showing perspectively a secondary disk carryingthe numerals representing the higher denominations; Fig. 7, afragmentarydetail view showing the manner of arranging the numbers upon the maindisks; Fig. 8, a horizontal central sectional view of one of the maindisks; Fig. 9, an elevation of one of themain disks, showing'theinterior; and Fig. 10, a fragmentary plan view of the indicator.

Similar lettersof reference in the several figures of the drawingsindicate similar parts.

In construction I provide a suitable base A, adapted to be placed upon atable or desk when in use, but supporting-legs may be applied thereto.Upon the base I construct a frame of suitable design, a most simple andlight one consisting of rigidly-attached posts B and B and a movablepost 0, which latter is adjustable relatively to the others. The post Bhas at its top a horizontal journalbearing a, and the post B has a likebearing 17 in alinement with the other bearing, and in these is mounteda revoluble shaft E. The lower end of the post 0 is fitted into a slot Din the base A, arranged obliquely to the shaft E, or a binding-bolt maywork in the slot and enter the base of the post, such construction otherequivalent, as a rib ora flange, may be employed to produce the sameresult. The top of the post has a long horizontal journalbearing dsituate in a line parallel to the shaft E and in which is mounted arevoluble shaft F, having a collar f or similar device to preventlongitudinal motion of the shaft.

The two main disks G and L each have a hub is and bore 2, a Web n, andrim m, and they are preferably of equal dimensions. The disk Gis securedto the shaft E near the outer end, and a hand-wheel Q is secured to theouter end of the shaft E as a means for rotating it; but in some cases Imay substitute equally simple means for propulsion, as a crankandgear-wheels. The disk L is sobeing familiar; or, instead of the slot,any

cured to the outer end of the shaft F, and to the inner end of thisshaft is secured a gearwheel K of suitable diameter, whereby the shaftand the disk L may be actuated rotatively.

A suitable number of gear-wheels, as H I J, having different diameters,are secured to the shaft E, by a spline e, to transmit motion and aproper degree of speed to the disk L relatively to the speed of the diskG. These gear-wheels may be of any suitable type; but I preferablyemploy the well-known type of toothed wheel, in the present case theWheel K being provided with one hundred teeth and the smallest wheel Jon the shaft E having fifty teeth. In Figs. 1 and 2 in therepresentations of wheels the teeth are not shown on all the wheels onaccount of limitation of space. The next wheel J contains sixtyteeth,and each wheel therefrom is of increased diameter and having tenmore teeth, so that the sixth wheel would have one hundred teeth and thetwenty-sixth wheel H would have three hundred teeth. These proportionsmay, however, be varied as the requirements may demand, as there may bea difference of but five teeth when the rate is fractional. In thepresent case the connection of the wheel K with the wheel J would adaptthe machine to compute and indicate at a rate of five mills perone-dollar valuation, with wheel J for six mills, with wheel I for tenmills, and with wh'eel H for thirtymills rate, an example of theproportions being shown in the fragment of the indicator Y in Fig. 10,which may obviously be extended in scope to any desired extent. Theindicator is preferably mounted across the faces of the toothed wheelsto insure accuracy; but a similar one may be arranged at theedge of theslot D in the base. The numerals Z indicate the rate, and Z indicate thenumber of teeth on each wheel.

The disk Gris provided on the exterior surface of its rim m withnumerals U, beginning with the unit 1 and continuing upwardin valueconsecutively to include any number, according to the range of themachine desired; but I preferably embrace nine hundred and ninety nine,(999,) followed by three ciphers with which to represent one thousand.They are spaced equidistantly, so as to occupy the whole circumference.The disk L is likewise provided with exactly the same numerals, as U,but arranged in reverse order, as the disks rotate in reverseddirections, as indicated by the arrows, as a matter of convenience; butan idler gear-wheel may be employed, so that both disks rotate in thesame direction, in which case the numerals would be arrangedidentically. All units are prefixed by two ciphers and all tens by onecipher.

In order to indicate the fourth or thousand numeral, I provide asecondary disk S, which may be arranged to operate either vertically orhorizontally, the latter being preferable,as

' the rate of twenty mills on the dollar.

shown, where it is provided with a vertical axle h, suitably mounted ina case P or P, connected with a gage 0 or 0, provided with aview-aperture R or R, in which it may be desirable to affix amagnifying-glass to more readily read the figures on the disks, whichmay in some cases be necessarily extremely small. The gages andconnected cases are suitably supported, as by arms M and N, attached tothe frame-posts. The disk S has numerals V on its periphery, dividedinto equal spaces by notches W, which are engaged by a scroll T,attached to the web a of the main disk. The scroll has an offset a, nearwhich its continuity is broken, the terminals v and to being spreadsufficiently to engage two notches, so that the disk is rotated at theproper time to add one thousand to the sum. In the disk L the offset isin a reversed direction. In some cases the rotations of the disk S maybe caused by means of a similar scroll placed at the interior of the rimm.

In practical use the operator may sit before the machine and cause thedisks to be rotated, first observing the disk G and bringing the desiredbase-figure within range of the observation-apertu re R, then readingthe result of the calculation, which automatically appears at theaperture R. In the drawings the machine is shown as set for computing atthe rate of five mills per one dollar, and it will readily be understoodthat by releasing the post 0 the same may be transferred so as toconnect the wheel K with either one of the other wheels on the shaft E.In every case when setting the machine for a rate the disks must be setso as to register Zero identically at the gages, Fig. 7 illustratingthis.

To further explain the mode of operation, suppose it is desired toascertain the amount of tax to assess upon the valuation of seventhousand three hundred and ten dollars at The wheel K is set to meshwith a wheel on shaft E, which would be shown on the indicator to havetwo hundred teeth, while the disks at the gages would show zero. Thenrotate disk G until 7310 shows at the aperture R, then at the aperture Rread 14620, the wheel 70, and consequently the disk L, having traveledtwice the distance rotatively as the driver. In the result the twonumerals at the right are always considered as cents or fractions of onehundred, so that the amount as above should be read as one hundred andforty-six dollars and twenty cents. On the disk Lthere may be a linedividing the integer column from the fractional column, or a score Z maybe made on the glass in the aperture R. Suppose the base-figure is twothousand five hundred. Turn the disk G backward until this number isindicated at the gage. The disk L would turn backward and indicate 5000or fifty dollars. In each case the disks S perform their part insupplying the thousands place. Suppose the wheel K is engaging the wheelJ, as shown, being FIG for a five-mill rate, and the base-number is onethousand dollars. Turn disk G to indicate this at the gage 0, this beingone revolution thereof. The wheel J being only onehalf as largediametrically as wheel K causes the disk L to make one-half of arevolution. Hence its reading would be 500 or five (lollars.

XVhile I show a convenient form, it is obvious that some of the parts ofthe machine may be transposed within the scope of my invention. Anysuitablenumber of gear-Wheels may be placed on the shaft E, and anysuitable number of teeth may be given to the wheels per inch ofperiphery, the essential being a known ratio in proportions of thewheels on the shafts E and F.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A computing-machine comprising a pair of counterpart disks one ofwhich is secured toarotating shaft permanently mounted and the other ofwhich is secured to a rotating shaft mounted adj ustably both laterallyand longitudinally, identical numerals arranged at the peripheries ofthe disks, and toothed wheels secured to the shafts and meshing witheach other.

2. A computing-machine comprising a horizontal permanentlymountedrotating shaft, a disk secured to the permanentlymounted shaft andhaving numerals arranged at the periphery thereof,an adj ustably-mountedrotating shaft situate in a line parallel to the permanently-mountedshaft, a disk secured to the adjustably-mounted shaft and havingnumerals arranged at the periphery thereof, a toothed wheel secured tothe adjustably-mounted shaft, and a toothed wheel secured to thepermanently-mounted shaft and engaging the toothed wheel on theadjustably-mounted shaft.

3. A computing-machine consisting of a main rotating disk having aperipheral rim and a series of numbers ranging from a unit upwardarranged on the outer face of the rim, a secondary disk having numbersarranged on the periphery thereof and operated by the main disk, asecond main rotating disk suitably mounted on a movable frame and havinga peripheral rim and a series of numbers ranging from a unit upwardarranged on the outer face of the rim, a secondary disk having numbersarranged on the periphery thereof and operated by the second main disk,and a gage having a sightaperture permanently mounted at the face ofeach of the main disks so as to designate the reading of each main andsecondary disk together.

4:. A computing machine comprising a frame, a pair of horizontalstationary journal-bearings in alinement, a rotating shaft in thebearings and having an operating-wheel, a horizontal movablejournal-bearing situate in a line parallel to the line of the stationarybearings, a rotating shaft in the movable bearing, a pair of counterpartmain disks provided each with numerals at the periphery thereof andsecured one to each of the rotating shafts, secondary disks mounted onvertical shafts at the peripheries of the main disks and controlledthereby, sight gages mounted at the peripheries of the disks, and gearwheels connecting the two rotating shafts.

5. A computing machine comprising a frame, a pair of rotating shafts oneof which is mounted in fixed bearings and the other of which is mountedin movable bearings and provided each with a main disk secured theretoand having at the periphery thereof a rim and a scroll or cam, identicalnumerals arranged upon the rims of both disks, secondary disks engagedby the scrolls and having numerals arranged at their peripheries,toothed wheels secured to the rotating shafts and engaging one withanother, and sightgages permanently supported at the peripheries of themain and secondary disks, whereby the readings of the main and secondarydisks together may be determined.

6. In a computing-machine, the combina tion of a base, aframe, arotating shaft mounted in permanent bearings, a main disk secured to therotating shaft and having a series of numbers arranged on the peripherythereof, a secondary disk operated by such main disk, means foractuating the rotating shaft, a series of toothed wheels secured to suchrotating shaft, a rotating shaft mounted in movable bearings in a lineparallel to said first-described rotating shaft and having a toothedwheel secured thereto and engaging one of said series of toothed wheels,a second main disk secured to said second-described rotating shaft andhaving a series of numbers arranged on the periphery thereof, asecondary disk operated by such second main disk, and a sight-gagesupported at the periphery of each of said main disks.

7. In a computing-machine, the combination of the base; the permanentframe; the movable frame; the rotating shaft journaled in the permanentframe; a main disk and a series of toothed wheels secured to the rotating shaft; a rotating shaft journaled in. the movable frame; a secondmain disk and a toothed wheel secured to the second-described rotatingshaft and operated by the first-described rotating shaft; numeralsarranged at the periphery of each of the main disks and identical inboth disks so as to designate any value from a unit to one thousand, thelatter represented by three ciphersf a secondary disk mounted at theleft-hand side of each of the main disks and having each numeralswhereby values from one thousand upward are added to the values of thenumerals upon the main disks; and sight-gages whereby to in dicate thereading of each main and secondary disk together.

8. In a computing-machine, the combina- IIO tion With the series oftoothed Wheels secured to a shaft, of the indicator mounted in front ofsuch Wheels and designating the diameter and ratio of each of suchWheels.

9. In a computing-machine, the combination of the base, the permanentframe, the movable frame, the rotating shaft mounted on each of saidframes, the pair of counterpart numbered disks one of which is securedto one and the other of which is secured to the other of said shafts andmoving in parallel vertical planes, the series of toothed Wheels securedto one of the rotating shafts, the toothed Wheel secured to the otherone of said rotating shafts and meshing with one of said series oftoothed Wheels, the secondary disks, the sight-gages, and the indicatorfor the series of toothed Wheels.

10. In acoinputing-lnachine, the combination of the base, the permanentframe, the

movable frame, the rotating shafts mounted on said frames, the pair ofcounterpart numbered main disks secured one to each of the rotatingshafts, the series of toothed Wheels secured to one of the rotatingshafts, the toothed wheel secured to the other one of the rotatingshafts and meshing with one of said series of toothed wheels, thesecondary disks mounted at the periphery of the main disks and operatedthereby, and the sight-gages mounted permanently whereby to indicate thesimultaneous reading of each of the main and secondary disks together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES E. KEEL.

Witnesses:

WM. 0. THOMPSON, E. T-. SILvIUs.

